How can I best use my time?

Psalm 90:12Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

2 Peter 3:8You must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

Time is beyond human control, and the full scope of God’s work is beyond our vision. This should move us toward humility, wisdom, and a balance between stressing out about the importance of “our” time and embracing our responsibility for how we use our time on this earth.

Ephesians 5:10, 15-19Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. . . . be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

We should purposefully invest our time in godly activities in order to make the most of it.

Revelation 1:3God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

We live each day in the light of Christ’s return. The promise of his coming again should inspire our commitment to faithfulness and help us keep a good perspective on the fleeting nature of earthly life.

Proverbs 19:21You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Proverbs 22:3A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

Luke 14:28“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”

Planning demonstrates our desire to use our time wisely and makes us good stewards of the time and resources God has given us. As we make plans, we should hold them loosely so that we can adjust them as God leads.